It is by now well known that fluidic elements are particularly well suited for serving as spray nozzles. For examples, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,423,026; 3,432,102; 3,458,888; 3,563,462, 3,638,866; 3,741,481; 3,973,558; 4,052,002; 4,151,955; 4,157,161 and 4,184,636. These patents disclose fluidic spray nozzles which are fabricated by a variety of techniques. In most cases the fluidic element is defined in the surface of a body member and then sealed by a cover plate. Sealing is usually effected by adhesive, screws, ultrasonic bonding, or similar techniques. These techniques are generally time consuming and rather unsuitable for mass production. There have been a few prior art attempts to avoid these disadvantages. For example, in one technique the fluidic element is formed on one surface of a plate which is forced into a housing through a slot sized to hold the plate under compression while retaining the plate in the housing. In practice this technique has experienced fracture of the housing, leakage of spray fluid, and other disadvantages.
Another attempt to solve the problem is found in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,955 which discloses a particular type of fluidic oscillator which can be molded in one piece, thereby eliminating the need for a sealing plate and avoiding the requirement for an assembly step in the fabrication process. This technique has utility only for the particular fluidic oscillator disclosed and is also sensitive to dimensions in the mold which change with use and age.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of prior art techniques and provide an efficient method for mass producing fluidic spray devices.